John 1:15-36

15John told people about the Word. He shouted, ‘This is the man that I told you about. He comes after me. But he is greater than I am. He was already there before I was born.’

16The Word is full of everything that we need. We have all received one good thing after another good thing.

17God gave his Law to us through Moses. But Jesus Christ brought God's grace and his truth to us.

18Nobody has ever seen God. But God's only Son has shown God to us. He is very near to the Father, and he himself is God.

19The Jewish leaders sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask John, ‘Who are you?’

20John did not refuse to answer. He said, ‘I am not the Messiah.’

21So they asked him, ‘So who are you? Are you Elijah?’ John said, ‘No, I am not.’ They asked, ‘Are you the Prophet?’ John answered, ‘No.’

22Then they said, ‘Tell us who you are. We must say something to the people who sent us. What do you say about yourself?’

23He said, ‘I am the voice of somebody shouting in the wilderness: “The Lord will come soon. Make a straight path for him to follow.” That is what the prophet Isaiah said a long time ago.’

24The men who came to ask these questions were Pharisees.

25They said to John, ‘You say that you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet. So why do you baptize people?’

26John replied, ‘I baptize people with water. But there is someone here among you that you do not know.

27He is the one who comes after me. I am not good enough even to undo his shoes for him.’

28All these things happened at a place east from the Jordan River. It was a village called Bethany. John was baptizing people there.

29The next day, John saw Jesus, who was coming towards him. John said, ‘Look! Here is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of people in the world.

30This is the man that I told you about. I told you, “He comes after me, but he is greater than I am. He was already there before I was born.”

31I did not know him. But I had to show Israel's people who he was. That is why I am baptizing people with water.’

32Then John told them, ‘I saw God's Spirit come down from heaven. He came down like a dove and he stayed on Jesus.

33I would not have known who Jesus was. But God had sent me to baptize people with water. And God told me, “You will see the Spirit come down. He will stay on someone. That is the person who will baptize people with my Holy Spirit.”

34Now I have seen this. So I can tell you that this is God's Son.’

35John was standing there again the next day, with two of his disciples.

36He saw Jesus, who was walking past them. John said, ‘Look! Here is the Lamb of God.’